


Hell's Bells

by queen_insane



Series: Forward Verse [2]
Category: Angel: the Series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)
Genre: A Sprinkle of Rare Pairs, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dawn's Key Powers, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Light Angst, People Get Wet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-21
Updated: 2020-02-27
Packaged: 2021-02-27 18:27:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22820197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queen_insane/pseuds/queen_insane
Summary: Set after Forward Without Seeing BtVS S7 and AtS S5. Anya and Xander are getting married.Will Anya's cold feet get in the way? Will Buffy and Spike find proper alone time? Will Angel get some peace and quiet? Will Dawn save the day? And more importantly, will true love win out?
Relationships: Angel/Darla (BtVS), Cordelia Chase/Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, Dawn Summers/Rona, Spike/Buffy Summers, Tara Maclay/Willow Rosenberg, Xander Harris/Anya Jenkins
Series: Forward Verse [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1640482
Kudos: 7





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> Rated M because Spike and Buffy just couldn't help themselves.

Buffy still wasn’t sure why she was here. Yes, Xander was getting married and she would always support him in that regard, but that wasn’t exactly what she was ruminating about at the current moment. By here - she meant in this hotel room - with Willow and Tara in the tackiest, ugliest, green dress she had even worn. Because yes, she had grown to tolerate Anya in the wake of Riley’s death, and yes they were friends, for the most part now - but that was by her own assessment. She hadn’t had any idea Anya felt the same way, not until Anya had asked her rather pointedly, to be her maid of honor, “I know we’re trying to be all accepting, but Buffy it’s hideous,” Willow told her.

“It does call to mind some demon puke,” Buffy said turning to look at Willow, “Are we sure we can’t talk Anya out of these?”

Willow blew out a raspberry, “Tara already tired. I know we’re here for Anya, but couldn’t Xander have thrown us a bone or something?”

“He would have but -”

“Then Anya would have no one,” Tara said, reminding them.

She was right of course. Someone had to be here for Anya since Xander was hoarding all of his friends to himself, “That would be totally unfair,” Buffy agreed, “We’re on Anya support duty until further notice.”

She flopped down on the hotel bed and stared at Willow and Tara who were similarly dressed and sitting in the two hotel chairs, “I know I shouldn’t be jealous,” Willow groused, “But Darla gets to wear a cool black and white dress. And she’s sent me photos so I know what I’m talking about. Grooms people get all the fun clothing. What was Anya thinking?”

“I think she’s probably stressed out right now,” Tara told her girlfriend, “The last time she opened her heart up like this, Riley died. Old wounds and all that.”

Buffy bit her lip and debated saying anything but eventually pressed on, “During the rehearsal dinner she escaped for a moment. Dawn said she saw her crying, it has gotta be tough.”

“Exactly!” Tara agreed, “I just think she’s very overwhelmed. Getting married is a big thing. A huge commitment. Honestly I think it’s kinda brave. Opening yourself up to someone like that.”

As she finished talking Buffy caught her staring at Willow rather bashfully and laughed, “So why haven’t you two?”

To that Willow gave her a pointed look and Buffy knew she had stepped in something rather accidentally, “We’ve bonded our magic. That should be enough for now.”

For now kinda lingered and then the sound of the hair dryer in the bathroom quieted just before the door opened and Anya came out, face mostly made up, but still in the rather luxurious looking bathrobe that the hotel had given her upon her arrival here for the wedding. Special privileges and all that, “Well,” she glanced around the room, “Don’t you guys just look beautiful,” then she sighed, “But please don’t sit when you don’t have to. You’ll wrinkle the fabric.”

Buffy didn’t think that would make the already terrible green dresses worse or better, but she still shifted forward a little bit on the bed so that she wasn’t sitting so harshly on the dress. It was going to be a long day.

\-----

In another room - a floor or two up - Angel was helping Darla put on the custom black stone necklace she had purchased for this very event - when he heard, “Have you seen my cuff-links Angel?”

Xander appeared a moment later, from the door that connected their room to his adjacent one, tugging on his sleeves and already mostly dressed. There were stress-lines on his forehead and Angel, who was trying to keep it together for once in his life, sighed. Meanwhile Darla smacked his hands away, “I’ve got it. Why don’t you help Xander find his cuff-links. I’m not helpless and Xander needs help.”

Angel turned, “Where was the last place you saw them? It’s not like they are a mimic demon. Couldn’t have just sprouted legs and walked off.”

He watched as Xander made a face, “What if they are a mimic demon?”

Great, now he had gone too far with his humor and made Xander worry for nothing. He cared deeply for the kid, in fact he’d go as far as to call Xander his closest friend, and he didn’t want Xander to start worrying now when he was pretty sure that everything was going to be fine. Hopefully. Maybe. Things did have a problem of getting away from them at the worst possible time, “They’re not.”

“But -”

“Trust me.”

“I do! I swear it.”

He wandered into Xander’s room and started rummaging around trying to sort through the mess of the room, “Seriously, where was the last place you had them?”

If Xander was going to be married Angel was going to have to teach him to clean up after himself. Before, when it had just been their little rag tag group living in the Hyperion, and Xander had been single, it hadn’t mattered as much. But he was going to be a married man dammit and he needed to learn to take better care of his spaces so he could take better care of Anya, “Maybe near the bed? Last night when I was a nervous wreck I brought everything over there just to do one last check.”

Angel got on his hands and knees and peered under the bed, “Found them! They rolled under the bed.”

He stood up holding the cuffs and feeling rather undignified. Walking back into the room he handed them to Xander, “Thanks.”

While Xander fiddled with putting them on, the door opened and Connor walked in wearing a suit, with the a silver colored handkerchief that matched the earrings that Darla was putting on, “Well,” he said as way of greeting, “Your family is arriving and they are a delight. Just wonderful people.”

Xander finished putting on the links and glared at Connor but his heart wasn’t fully in it, “You could do a better job of pretending you like them.”

“Why would I ever pretend?”

Angel had to give his son credit. Connor never pulled any punches when it came to being truthful. Sometimes that got him punched in the face by a demon, but Angel also thought if Connor changed, Angel’s feelings about his son would change, and he loved him as he was. Brash and bold, just like his mother, “Be a little nicer to your cousins Connor,” Darla scolded him.

“Yes mom.”

“I know my family can be a bit much,” Xander admitted.

Connor shrugged, “That’s why you’ve got us. If you need me to run cousin interference Uncle Xander you just say the word and I’ll be there.”

“Sometimes I think we can be a bit much too,” Darla said.

She was right. But they were a bit much in different ways, Angel ruminated. There was a difference between being overbearing and maybe a bit messy, and their odd little family unit. Where yes, the last bit of family drama had been Connor trying to kill him all those years ago. Still, they were family and family forgave each other. Especially when their family was this specific group. Living under these specific magical and demonic conditions, “Okay, okay, I won’t threaten Uncle Xander’s family.”

“That’s all I ask. It won’t do us any good to start fights in the middle of the wedding.”

“Not even if it’s a demon?” Angel asked.

“There won’t be any demons at this wedding,” Xander told him.

“Never say never, a fight could happen,” Connor told him.

A look came over Xander’s face and he grimaced. This was also the wrong thing to say, “It will be a wonderful wedding dear,” Darla told him, coming to the rescue as she often did in these situations, “If it doesn’t go well Liam can always kill the guests.”

Ah there it was. His darling’s very droll sense of humor. Just because Darla was good and human didn’t mean that she wasn’t fond of gallows humor as she had been before. Connor rolled his eyes at the same time that Xander let out a little bark of laughter, “Thanks Darla. I knew I could count on you.”

The fact that Xander even got Darla’s humor was just another thing that made this whole ship work, “I’m serious,” Darla said rather not seriously at all, “Heads, off. Rolling all over the room. Like -”

“Mom!”

Connor’s objections put an end to Darla’s aside and she smiled at him fondly, “Thanks Connor,” Xander told his nephew.

“I do what I can,” he told Xadner, “Someone has to keep this whole thing from spinning out.”

“And you do the very best job that - ”

Angel watched as Xander stopped speaking his eyes shutting as he stumbled over to one of the chairs to sit down. Oh no. Was the first thought that he had. Xander could not be having a vision on his wedding day. Because that portended other bad things that Angel did not want to think about. He hoped and prayed that it wasn’t about the wedding. As Xander tried to get his baring back he looked at Connor, “Go get Xander a glass of water. He’s going to need it.”

Almost as if he had snapped out of some sort of trance Connor nodded, “Yeah, right. Sorry. I’ll go, I’ll be right back. One second.”

Connor disappeared into the hotel bathroom, snagging one of the hotel’s glasses on the way, and Angel heard the sound of running water. As Connor got a cup of water for Xander, the man in question finally opened his eyes and started rather forlornly around the room, “I’m calling this wedding off.”

“You’re not calling this wedding off,” Darla told him.

“If you just saw what I saw you’d call this whole thing off too Darla,” he told her, “This isn’t going to go well for anyone, let alone me.”

While Xander continued to be depressed, Connor came out of the bathroom with a glass of water and handed it to him, “When was the last time one of your visions came totally true?”

“It’s been awhile,” Xander admitted, they had gotten pretty good at cutting them off before they spiraled.

“Then you’re getting married,” Angel told him, “This is not up for debate. And Darla’s right, if things get dicey. I’ll make heads roll.”

Xander laughed and then looked up at Angel with a fond smile. Clearly he had decided to put his trust in Angel. And Angel really hoped that he would be able to keep his promise. He didn’t know what Xander had seen but he knew Xander would share what little needed to be shared in order to try to stop this. As he considered Xander’s vision, just a few blocks down in an empty and very moonlight lit alleyway there was a crack of magical thunder followed by a bolt of lighting as a elderly woman holding an umbrella and wearing a raincoat appeared. Anyone who saw her would be confused as to why she was wearing these things in the middle of the night but she paid them no mind, unfurled her umbrella into the darkness, and kept walking, ignoring the odd stares she got.

\-----

Most of her bridesmaids had left the room and now only Buffy remained with her. The whole day Anya had been trying her best to be happy. To be excited. And she was. Her bridesmaids looked beautiful, the venue was amazing because both Giles and Angel had teamed up to find an amazing hotel. It was owned by some very human looking but kind demons who were willing to clear the whole place out just so she and Xander could get married. Something about them owing Angel a debut. And she was happy, she was. But every time she looked in the mirror she saw Riley sitting just a little out of frame. And he was smiling and he was beautiful and dammit she missed him. Like she missed Hallie. And the painting she had lost in Sunnydale’s crater. So many beautiful works of art. Gone.

Thoughts on paintings aside, it wasn’t like Xander was some second place nobody, she loved him. But she also was afraid. What if something went wrong? What if they got married and she lost him too? What if he became just another Riley? She dropped her necklace on the table, “It won’t fit! The colors don’t match and it’s not - it’s not right at all. Everything is ruined.”

Buffy walked over to where she was standing and she knew that she was being silly, but she couldn’t help it. Her sometimes friend - sometimes word sparing rival - picked up the necklace, “Nah.”

“Yes it is, how will I look perfect on my perfect day now?”

Buffy was unclasping the necklace and helping place it around her neck and for a brief moment Anya had a flashback to the one she had worn when she was a vengeance demon. The one that Buffy had taken away from her and smashed. Ugh, everything was so different now. A slayer putting a necklace on an ex-vengeance demon, had to be some sort of sign, “Here,” she clipped on behind Anya’s neck, “Perfect.”

“It still looks all wrong,” Anya complained, “The green and gold clashes with the color of my dress and,” green and gold had been their colors before Riley had been taken away from her, “I should have gone with red. It’s a classic. No one complains when they see red. Well - okay maybe you sometimes because it’s in the job description.”

As she nattered Buffy was pulling the box that Anya had her earring in. She took out the delicate pearl drops and handed them to Anya, who took them like a woman on autopilot. Pilots were in the army, like Riley had been, “We’re not talking about slaying right now.”

Anya put the earnings on and stared at herself in the mirror, “Maybe it’s not so bad. I do look nice.”

“Exactly,” Buffy told her.

Anya stood up and Buffy followed. They stood there for a moment and Anya fiddled with her engagement ring. A big thing that had once belonged to Darla and everyone knew might have been a blood diamond, but no one spoke about because Darla had been so excited to have something to give them when Xander had popped the question. It was kinda sweet Anya though, “I’m glad you’re here,” she said finally, “You can be very rude to me, but you're all I have right now.”

“I’m not sure how I’m supposed to take that Miss-Soon-To-Be-Married.”

She had over stepped, but Anya didn’t really care. She wasn’t made for the tact thing and as long as no one was super upset at her it was fine. Plus, she didn’t need to compromise herself, not for anyone, “You knew him too,” Anya said filling in the gaps of what she had meant, “You know about how stupid death is and why it hurts so much and - why are you looking at me like that.”

Buffy eyes were soft and Anya didn’t like that, “This is your wedding Anya,” Buffy told her.

“What do you mean?”

She was very confused, “You should be happy. It’s your day.”

She really should. But more than anything Anya was realizing she just wanted to run-away. Escape into the sun. Moonlight. Whatever. It was something she hadn’t wanted to do for a very long time. Xander would be safer that way, from the curse of death she carried around with her. First Hallie, then Riley. Death came in threes. Why had she agreed to do this again? Anya was starting to forget why, “Yes. Happy. You’re right. Weddings are happy days for humans,” oh she was slipping into old speech patterns she hadn’t slipped into for a very long time, “With the dancing and the singing and the joy,” maybe if she just got through this, things would even out, “Plus I think the world owes me don’t you? After everything? Let’s go be happy,” she finished.

God she was becoming very lame. Lame dumb Anya, “Okay, time to get you all set-in,” Buffy told her, “Count on me to get you there safely. Captain Buffy, they call me.”

“Okay.”

Buffy opened the door for Anya and she let out a sigh she didn’t know she had been holding. She could do this. Really she could. What was it that Riley had told her? Sometimes being brave was hard, but that courage was doing things when you were afraid? Even when your legs were locked up. Ok. Somehow she’d find the resolve. Be brave Anya. Be brave for love, and Xander’s hot warrior’s body. Fight the good fight. Then she followed.

\-----

Angel, Connor, and Darla had left to patrol the hotel after he had kind of filled them in. Someone had to make sure that there were no demons that would ruin his wedding. He took a deep breath. Anya would not leave him at the altar. She wouldn’t. He had to believe that his vision was just that - a vision. He knew Anya, and she was brave and beautiful and above all, resilient. If anyone could overcome his dumb vision it would be her. There was a knock at the door, and he called out, “Come in! I’m dressed.”

The door opened and both Tara and Willow entered the room. Willow’s eyes lit up when she saw him and Xander smiled at her fondly. They were not exactly as close as they had once been but something about seeing Willow and Tara put him at ease. Maybe it was an old high school friends thing, “You look amazing!” Willow told him, “Very James Bond.”

He had slicked his hair back, which had been Darla’s suggestion, so he supposed the comparison was apt. He did a little turn for the two of them humming the Bond theme as he did, “Ta-Da.”

“You do look very good,” Tara told him.

“I feel like my vest is squeezing the fat out of me,” he told them.

“You’re not fat,” Willow told him, “How’s it going in here?”

“I’ve been practicing my vows,” he told them and then cleared his throat, “Anya, I promise to ... love you, to cherish you, to honor you, and to be with you till the end of our days. Whenever that is, because as a half-demon I’m not exactly sure when my life expectancy really ends.”

That made both women giggle and he stared up at them, “It’s kinda romantic don’t you think baby?” Willow asked Tara.

That made him stop and he stared at them for a moment. Now that he thought about it, Tara and Willow had been together for awhile. Longer than any of them. Even Spike and Buffy when you factored in the whole, having a relationship behind everyone’s backs period that he had heard of, but only in passing, “Speaking of romantic when do you think you will -”

Both girls stared at him with rather wide eyes, “I mean it’s not exactly legal is it?” Willow told him and oh, he had forgotten. Great, he had put his foot in it. Had people asked them this before? He felt like people had asked them this before, “The magic bonding will have to be enough for now. For awhile,” she sighed, “But maybe, some day in the far future when people get their heads out of their asses we’ll be able to pull it off. But until then…”

“The magic,” Tara finished for her.

“Right,” he continued, “So, end of days. Forever and ever. The half-demon thing. Followed by I will protect your heart from all the bad things that happen to it. I know you’ve gone through a lot of hardships and I want to be the person who protects you from them. And -” now Willow and Tara were staring at him rather dreamily so he forged on ahead, “It doesn’t hurt that I can see the future so if the harm is coming I can be the knight in shining armor that - calling myself a knight is really bad and not cool isn’t it?”

“I think the idea is there,” Tara told him.

“But the execution could use a little work,” Willow agreed.

“Plus,” Tara continued.

“You look hot,” she paused, “Can I say that?”

Xander choose to ignore that. Willow was his friend and she could say whatever she wanted, “Well it’s better than Darla calling me shaggy,” that made both girls snort, “As long as Anya thinks I’m hot that’s all that matters to me,” she really was his dream girl, “I can’t wait to see her in her dress.”

“You’re going to love her,” Willow told him, “She’s a knockout. Even if we look like demon puke.”

Meeting Anya again, after everything, had been a revelation if Xander was honest. For the longest time, since losing Sal he hadn’t really thought about falling in love again. The Groosalugg had challenged his thoughts on what it meant to be human, and what it meant to be a demon and then saved his life. But she hadn’t been able to stick around and even if he knew why, losing her had felt painful.

When he had reconnected with Anya he had seen a little bit of Sal in her, in the way she spoke, in her mannerisms. But he had also seen a fire and this feisty woman who was strong despite being human, who had lost and grown and - god he really loved Anya a lot, “I think you look like fine demon puke,” he said, “And I already love her. When I think about her I get this warm fuzzy feeling in my stomach and it just sort if fizzes there like soda pop. Makes me want to snoopy dance. I can’t believe I’m going to get to spend the rest of my life with someone who makes me that happy. Who gets to do that in this day and age?”

As long as she didn’t leave him at the altar, his mind whispered to him one final time.

\-----

Somehow Dawn had found herself downstairs with all of Xander’s family and she was slowly realizing that they were, quite literally, the worst. Just terrible awful people. Rona was nowhere to be seen either. Traitor. Angel had pulled her away, saying something about needing slayer muscle to patrol around the wedding venue. When Dawn had asked why they needed guards at a wedding Angel had refused to say, which just made the whole thing worse. So now she was doing parent duty with people she hardly knew or cared about, “Oh, hush, hush. No woman of mine is gonna work. All you have to do is sit pretty, and laugh when I tell a good one. Tell her what a funny guy I am, Dawnie,” one of them said to her like he knew her.

“You know what,” she told him, “Have fun!”

She cut around them, and ignored them as they continued to talk. She twisted around more people paying very little attention, with the purpose of finding an exit. Or someone. Maybe Spike? With Buffy off playing maid of honor surely her sister’s erstwhile boyfriend was going stir crazy? She dipped around two more people and then collided with a strong solid form. She stumbled back a little but was able to self correct and then glanced up at the person - demon - in front of her. She felt her blood run cold, “Ah. Hymen's greetings,” D'Hoffryn said to her.

“What are you doing here?” Dawn asked with venom in her voice.

It wasn’t a question, “I felt the edges of chaos in this wedding,” he told her and oh that didn’t sound good to Dawn, “I thought I might come see it play out. For fun.”

“You’re not invited.”

If Anya learned that he was here she would have a panic attack. More of a panic attack. They all knew she was teetering on the edge of something since the day had begun, even if none of them really knew what, “I brought a gift. That gives me the right.”

People entered around them and none of them seemed to notice the big demon in front of them, which told Dawn that he was doing - something - to mess with their perception of him. She didn’t like that either. This was a night wedding for obvious reasons, but that didn’t mean that any demons but invited ones could come, and he was not invited, “Like hell it does,” she reached out her hand to encircle his wrist.

He glanced down at her hand, “Teleporting us away in a crowd of people? How brazen.”

How did he - no - somehow D'Hoffryn always knew more than he should. Freak. She dropped her hand, “No,” she said - but she had been about to - he was right, “That would be stupid.”

“Indeed, like getting trapped in a hell dimension,” his eyes sparkled when he said that too.

God he really did know everything didn’t he. Stupid vengeance demon. God, she hated him. Hated even more that she couldn’t do anything about it right now. The second they were alone though, she was going to boot him out of here. Someone had to, “Don’t think I won’t stop you. The second you slip up you’re out of here,” she snapped her fingers, “Like that.”

“If you think your magic can over power mine. Which still remains to be seen,” he glanced over her shoulder at something that she couldn’t see, “Ah, William.”

She turned around to see Spike approaching a very unkind look on his face, and when she turned back D'Hoffryn had made himself scarce. Great. Now she had to contend with a stupid rouge vengeance demon who was just here to see the party, and maybe a worried Anya. Neither of these things seemed fun, “Hi Spike,” she said he came to stand next to her.

“Was that bloody D'Hoffryn?”

“In the demonic flesh.”

“We’ll have to keep an eye out for him,” he was preaching to the choir, “Can’t have him mucking up things.”

“I threatened him a bit,” she told him.

“Good for you,” he said, “Let’s find Buffy.”

Dawn agreed. They needed to circle the wagons on the D'Hoffryn situation. If they could even find her sister. This wedding was turning out to be more of a hassle than she was expecting. Hopefully if they figured the whole D'Hoffryn thing out, it would help smooth things out. However Dawn was starting to think that it wouldn’t be that easy. Drat.

\-----

Buffy glanced around the corner. They were currently on their way to Anya’s final bridal room now that she was fully dressed and Buffy was currently doing her best to make sure that she wasn’t spotted by Xander on her way there. It felt very silly, that the two of them were doing the - can’t see the bride before marriage thing - but that was their choice, and Buffy was trying to not let herself fall into the silliness of it too much. Plus, it wasn’t like she could ever get married thanks to her boyfriend not having a physical presence in any government. Or a pulse. So Buffy was trying to milk as much enjoyment from this wedding as she could, “We’re in the clear,” she told Anya behind her who came around the corner to stand next to her.

“It’s very silly this sneaking around,” Anya said, “I don’t quite understand it, but it’s a human wedding tradition right?”

Well at least she wasn’t alone in thinking the whole thing was kind of unnecessary. They began walking down the hall, “So I take it Xander was the one who decided on not seeing each other?”

Anya nodded, “He said something about bad luck. And I didn’t want to risk it.”

Buffy stopped for a moment and debated on if Anya would appreciate what her body was telling her to do before she just did it. Reaching out to give Anya the biggest hug possible, before stepping backwards to give her a serious stare. Or what Buffy hoped passed for serious, “You are going to do just fine.”

“You think so?”

The hallway they were in came to an end and Buffy looked around the corner again before ushering Anya into a slightly larger open area, with the door to their new location in front of them, “Let’s go over what you have,” Buffy told her.

“Okay.”

“A loving fiance,” Buffy listed the first thing.

“Correct.”

“A beautiful setting.”

“And?”

“A beautiful everything.”

“Okay you got me,” Anya conceded.

Buffy smiled and then her smile widened as she saw both her sister and Spike come down the hall. Dawn was dressed in a simple yellow summer dress, and Spike, bless him was in a more put together version of what he normally wore. With a special occasion black leather jacket and everything. Buffy had asked him not to. However she knew that while he cared for Anya in so much as he liked the ex-demon, he also wasn’t one for dressing up when he didn’t have to. And clearly he felt like for this event, he didn’t have to. Still - he looked damn good - yummy even, and Buffy had to admire his commitment to the bad boy theme, “Buffy! Just who we were -” Dawn stopped talking, “Hi Anya.”

While Buffy knew that Dawn had said something, the way that Spike was looking at her was making it very hard to concentrate, “You look delicious,” he told her.

She didn’t really agree, “I-”

Before she could say anything he had stepped forward and his hand was around her waist dipping her down as deep as he could manage. Then Spike lips were on her lips and Buffy just melted into it. Wanted her clothing to melt right off too. God he was such a good kisser. She brought her fingers up to tangle in his hair, and opened her mouth to let him in just a little bit more, breathing into his mouth, “Ew,” Dawn’s voice interrupted them, “I love the two of you but please, my eyes. Everybody’s eyes actually. Also this isn’t your wedding and I need to talk to you.”

Buffy let Spike undip and glanced at both Anya and Dawn without a hint of regret. How could she when she could kiss Spike again? The period in her life when she had thought he was dead had been - rough. She deserved all the Spike kisses from now until the end of time, “Thank you Dawn,” Anya said, “This is my happy day. Buffy even said so.”

“Sorry,” Buffy told her not feeling sorry at all, “You should get all hidden away.”

“Right,” Anya said, “If I need anything I’ll call. As my maid of honor you are obligated to come running.”

Buffy gave her a curt nod, and then watched as Anya slipped into the room behind them. With a grin she turned to both Spike and Dawn, “Alright,” she crossed her arms in front of her chest, “What’s up?”

\-----

Xander stood in the thick of it with his family as they all shifted around him. He had just gotten downstairs and already felt overwhelmed. Without Angel or Darla to act as a barrier he felt like he was drowning. His mother - a woman he hadn’t seen in what felt like years - pinched his cheeks, “Alexander. Do you realize that the usher sat us in the third row?”

The thing was, these people didn’t really feel like family anymore. Not really. But he had felt that he had to invite them. To be polite. Both Darla and Angel had told them they would be okay with a small wedding, but Xander had the feeling that Anya had wanted something fancy. Something big to take her mind off of everything. She had grown more worried about the wedding the closer it got and it only fueled Xander’s fear that she would leave him. Just pack up the whole thing up and run away. Like she had back in Sunnydale, “Mom, I'm sure it was a mistake,” he told her.

“Well, I-I don't think it was really- “

His uncle came over to him, the one he really really hated, and began to crowd around. As they did he watched an oddly dressed woman enter the room and look around, “Say Neph, do you know where the photographer is? I've got a proposition for him-”

“Sorry can you -”

He knew that woman. It was the same one he had gotten a flash of in his vision. She continued to look at him and then turned away. And was lost in the crowd. He wanted to tell his family off but couldn’t. He was trapped here between his uncle who he hated, and his very overbearing mother, “Honey, listen to me,” his mother was saying.

As they continued to crowd, Connor appeared almost like a blessing. He broke free of them and walked over to his savoir in a tux, “I saw her,” he told him, “But I lost her. In the crowd. She’s in a fancy tan raincoat.”

Connor nodded, “I’ll do my best to scout. And I’ll let Angel and my mom know.”

“Thanks,” he said.

Instantly again, like ants his family swarmed around him, cutting off his escape. Connor seeing the coming wave was able to weasel his way out of the room, “Are you going to fix the seat issue?” His mother said to him, and god he really did need to get out of here.

\-----

Anya stood in front of the mirror and took deep calming breaths. Behind her the door clicked open and she turned, “That better not be you Xander.”

Instead an old woman stood in front of her. For a moment she didn’t say anything and then she placed her umbrella against the wall and started walking forward to Anya, speaking before Anya had a second to counter attack, “You can't get married today. It's a huge mistake.”

“I can do whatever I want,” Anya told her, “Now shoo. I need to get ready.”

Anya didn’t need this. Not right now. The quicker this person left, the better. She didn’t need another voice whispering in her ear that this was a bad idea. Plus, she had no idea who this nobody was, coming in and telling her what she could or couldn’t do, “Telling me to shoo I - you don’t know who I am do you?”

Well of course she didn’t. She had pictures of everyone on the guest list, had them memorized and everything, and she had never seen this woman before in her life. She wasn’t like Xander, she couldn’t read minds. She crossed her hands over her chest and stared daggers at this woman, “And should I?”

“This is going to sound a little psycho. But you’re very smart, so I know you’ll believe me. I'm Anya Harris. I'm you.”

Ice crawled up Anya’s spine. There was no way this was possible. But then she had fought stranger things. Odder things had happened. And a her from the future would make far too much sense. She would be that sort of clever. That sort of forward thinking if things went wrong. A contingency plan. Someone had to warn her, and no one would be better at it than her, but, “I’m sorry you’re what?”

“I'm you. I'm you from the future.”

“I’m not stupid. I know that people can’t travel through time like that,” she rolled her eyes, “As fun as that might be.”

The woman stomped her foot - that woah okay - reminded Anya way too much of herself when she was having a temper tantrum. Creepy, “You need to listen to me! I found a way back to warn you. To tell you-” There was a knock on the door, “Look. Look! I can prove it to you.”

“Then prove it,” Anya wouldn’t be tricked so easily, not after The First so readily pretend to be Hallie.

The woman took her hand, and okay she wasn’t The First. Not that Anya thought The First could come back. But it was a knock in the favor of this woman she still didn’t know, “I thought you might need convincing. I want to show you something.”

The woman reached into her bag and pulled out a glass orb that was glowing purple. Anya looked down at it, “What is it?”

“It’s magic,” the woman told her.

“Well I know that,” Anya shot back.

“Very powerful. Look at it. You'll see what I've seen. Feel what I've felt.”

Anya glanced down and for a moment nothing happened. Then a beam of light shot out from the orb connecting to Anya’s forehead. Quickly the light seemed to surround her, and before she could utter a word - or yell for help - she was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I believe this whole thing will be about three chapters long :). Giles also somehow misses out in this fic too, though I think it makes a little more sense here than in the show's canon. 
> 
> I think the most interesting thing about writing this is how characters fall together and then break into different groups as the story breathes. Finally, I always get a kick out of getting to write Darla, Connor, and Angel more fully formed. I just love their little weird family unit.


	2. Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darla is Darla, Buffy and Spike attempt to have some us time, and Anya receives a warning.

It had only been a few hours but the day already felt too long. Yet somehow - at the hotel bar - things were only now, finally kicking off. Rona stood in the corner watching everyone celebrate. She had just come back after Angel had sent her patrolling around the building for something - dude wouldn’t say. But she hadn’t seen any vampires or any demons, and so she had come back to the here to grab a drink and then hide in a corner. Parties were not her thing. She could do quiet shindigs and events between friends, but not full blown parties with strangers. It was too much. However Dawn was here because Buffy was here, and Rona sure as hell was not going to leave her girlfriend floundering at a wedding. Even if it meant she hid in a corner in her far too fancy purple dress. There was a cough as a woman came to stand next to her and for a moment Rona expected her slayer tingle to up and activate, even though she knew it wouldn’t, “They’re all rather boring don’t you think?”

It was Darla, and this was a woman who knew she looked good. She was wearing a black and white dress to match the best men tuxedos, and had on bright red lipstick. Rona supposed she had earned the right to look good, since she had died, come back from death sick, died again, gone into a coma, and then woken up human but no longer sick. Sometimes you had to give the world the middle finger like that, “That’s what you call boring?”

Rona didn’t get the ex-vampire. For a supposed good guy she acted half on her way to do something evil and malicious a good percent of the time, “It’s always the same at weddings like these, too much drink and excess. I used to love this sort of party you know,” she sighed, “But it’s what Xander wanted.”

Oh. There was the part of Darla that Xander and Angel swore up and down was inside her somewhere. Darla could still be terribly unkind, but it was where she directed her meanness now that really seemed to matter, “Was it?”

Over across the room Xander was still swamped, covered by people like ants, “I did say I’d protect him. Poor dear.”

With a roll of her shoulders Darla walked across the room and Rona, for lack of anything better to do, and interested in seeing the carnage - followed. As they got closer one of them turned form Xander and zeroed in on Darla, “Xander! It’s your -” she seemed unsure of what to call Darla, “It’s your work friend! She’s come to join us.”

“Darla isn’t just a work friend mom,” Xander told her.

Ah, so that was who this mystery woman was. Now that Rona could take a closer look she realized that yes, this woman had some resemblance to Xander. It was slight but it was there. Something about the eyes and facial structure. His mother wasn’t really listening though, “You must be so happy for Xander on his very special, once-in-a-lifetime day, friend from work.”

Darla’s eyes narrowed and oh yeah. She was pissed. Xander’s mom had pissed her off. Rona coughed, “I think a better word for me would be,” Darla seemed to think on it but Rona could see that she wasn’t really thinking, just pausing for dramatic effect, “Sister-in-law.”

Another man walked over having heard the commotion and said with no lack of tact, “Xander doesn’t have any brothers. If he did we would know.”

That seemed rather presumptuous Rona thought but he had given Darla ammunition, “My husband is his brother,” Angel and Darla were not married, “Seems you don’t know him at all.”

Her words were enough for Xander who squaked out, “Okay! That’s enough!”

He grabbed Darla's arm very delicately and took her away from his family to a less crowded spot. Away from his family Darla said, “And now you’re free of your family,” both Xander and Rona looked at her, “That wasn’t that hard was it? If you’re overwhelmed do try to escape.”

“You mean that was all planned? You did that on purpose?” Rona couldn’t believe it.

Darla’s smile confirmed it for her. Oh yeah, Darla was a scary one. Rona was very glad at that moment that Darla was on their side. And that Angel had managed to save her. What a woman.

\-----

Anya found herself standing in the recently re-purchased Hyperion Hotel, she was in her wedding dress and holding a book. A book titled, “Horned and Horny Demons”. It was turned to a page with a demon that had more body parts than sense. Yuck. She wasn’t sure what was going on but her body felt like it wasn’t her own, like she couldn’t control it. There was nothing that she could do. Not really. She walked into the lobby from behind the desk, still holding the book, “I found it.”

A number of faces looked up at her and Xander stood up to look at the book she was holding, peering over her shoulder, “That’s our demon. Big scaly, lives in sewers and collects bones.”

Darla leaned over the couch to stare at them, “Does it say, pray tell, how to defeat it?”

“Yeah,” Xander told her, still reading.

“Care to share with the class?”

Connor had come in with another book that he closed and put on a nearby table. Apparently his attempts to find the demon had gone very south, “A demon sword that’s been slathered in,” Anya stopped reading, “Oh ew.”

“It can’t be that gross,” Connor told her.

But Connor had no idea. Anya looked up at him, “The juices of bone marrow and consecrated dirt. Plus something that I think translates to pus. I can show you the picture.”

Connor made a face and Anya wasn’t surprised at his reaction. None of those things sounded pleasant or appealing at all, “You were right Aunt Anya. That’s gross.”

“Where are we expected to find consecrated dirt?”

Darla wondered this aloud as Angel came in, sword bloody and face pinched, “No idea. But I lost him. Had a bad run in an alleyway.”

He had told them to go home and do research while he tracked the demon so they could find it more easily, later on. Something must have happened and Anya worried the bottom of her lip. It didn’t seem good that the demon had just up and disappeared. Still they had to keep digging and looking, it was their job right? Saving the helpless who just couldn’t save themselves. Being the good guys. She closed the book with a snap, “Rah rah team. As long as we’re together we’ll be fine.”

Xander smiled at her and leaned down to kiss her, “That’s my girl.”

The scene shifted and Anya was hit with such sudden vertigo. They were in their bedroom now, still in the Hyperion. Xander was a little older. Had put on just a little bit of scruff, and looked leaner. It was a good look on him - sexy. So whatever had happened with the demon, clearly they had been successful. Anya smiled, pleased at where that thought took her, while Xander started to unbutton his shirt, revealing his toned Xander chest, “Today was a close one,” he tugged it over his head.

“They are demons. They are all close ones,” Anya told him.

She pulled back the covers and looked down to find that she was now in a white nightgown. She had no idea when that had happened. But here she was. With little preamble, she climbed into the bed, “You’re right,” Xander admitted to her, “Why are you always right?”

“Because I’m always going to be smarter than you.”

She pulled the covers for him to get in and gave his side a pat. Xander took off his pants revealing the shorts below and slid into bed with her, “Hey! Who is the one with the world ending visions?”

“Visions do not make one smart,” she told him.

“They make you prepared,” he shot back.

Well, yes. She couldn’t argue with that, but that didn’t change the fact that, “I’m still better at research.”

“Everyone is better than me at research.”

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her on top of him so she could smile down at him, this was nice. This was happy. Just how Anya always wanted it to be. She kissed him again, just because she could. Because she was Anya Harris and he was Xander Harris and they were out here fighting to save the world and things were perfect, “I can think of things you are good at Mr. Harris.”

He brought her down for another kiss, “You sure about that?”

They continued to kiss, and Anya said in between the soft joy of it, “Of course I am Xander. And I don’t need books to prove it. Or visions,” she wiggled on him, “This is why I’m smarter.”

“Can’t argue that.”

She closed her eyes to kiss him again but when she opened them she was standing in an alley as battle raged around her. Chaos. She was in her wedding dress again and holding a sword. A demon, also holding a sword struck out at her and she blocked his attack as he forced her backwards. Anya was not good at swords. Well, not too good at them. She was okay with a bow and arrow. And she was very good at running away when she needed to, so that the more powerful people could fight for her. She paired a few more blows and then found herself backed into a wall. Cornered. When all hope seemed lost, a body leapt on the demon and dragged him back away from her, “Maybe you should pick on someone your own size. It could be good for you,” the demon turned to see Angel already in vamp face.

Anya smiled and then Xander came round the corner, holding the crossbow Anya very much she wished she had right now. He was being chased by a second demon that looked very much like the first one, “I think I found his friend!”

The demon reached out to grab at Xander but he ducked under it’s hand and turned, loading the crossbow that he was holding. With a well aimed shot, he hit the demon in the leg. The demon roared glaring at him and tore the crossbow bolt out, “I think you only managed to piss him off!” Anya exclaimed.

“Thank you honey! Very astute,”

Across from them Angel had managed to get his sword around the demon’s neck and looped off it’s head. Anya could see the second their demon realized their partner was dead and he turned to them glaring, “Friend for honey.”

He turned the arrow that he had pulled out of his leg and threw it will all his might at Anya. She had nowhere to run but it didn’t matter. Because one second she was terrified of the arrow and the next second Xander’s body was slumped against hers, arrow protruding out of his chest right where Anya was pretty sure his heart was supposed to be. It happened in a second. No time to process.

Here eyes widened, “No,” he was limp against her chest, “No, no, no, no.”

Not again. She couldn’t deal with this again. Not after everything. Blood seeped out from behind Xander’s shirt but he was already gone. His skin was rapidly cooling against hers. She clutched him to her body as Angel killed the demon who had attacked them and rushed over to them, “Anya,” she glanced up at him eyes wet, “Anya he’s gone. I can’t hear his heartbeat.”

“Shut up!”

Angel looked close to breaking down too but she couldn’t look at his face. Couldn’t deal with seeing the pain there when hers was already so fresh. So tightly wound instead of her, “We have to, we have to bring him back to the hotel. We have -” Angel choked on his words, “We have -”

“Shut up!”

She yelled at him again with greater force. Everything shattered.

Then she was sitting on the ground back in the room of her wedding venue, dress fanned out around her and Xander was gone. The blood was gone. It felt like being thrown in a pool of ice. A shock. Her mind didn’t know how to process the change.

The woman stood in front of her still holding the orb that had stopped glowing. Tear tracks streamed down Anya’s face. Why had this woman - why had she - she hadn’t wanted to know any of that. Hadn’t wanted to see any of that. It was too painful. Riley’s words about being strong seemed so distant. Anya didn’t want to be strong. Anya didn’t want to be anything if that was how it ended. If she did all that work to find love again and it just was taken from her. Again, and again, and again, “I'm so sorry. I didn't want to show you,” the woman was saying.

“That’s not how it will happen,” Anya said but her words sounded weak, “It’s -”

“A glimpse of your future. Brought on by a pinch of magic.”

Anya shook her head, “Xander won’t die like that,” she stood on shaky legs, “I won’t let him.”

“Listen, I don’t have long here but, you’re right. He would have been fine if he hadn’t had to protect you. Protect us. We still don’t have to get married.”

“But I want -”

“Love,” the woman said, “I know. But some people aren’t made for love, only for the pain it brings. And that’s you. Us.”

Everything came crashing down around her. Because this person, her or not, was right. Anya would never be happy. It was too late for her. And if she could prevent Xander from dying, well she knew exactly what she had to do.

\-----

Buffy felt like they had combed almost every floor of this stupid freaking hotel. And still no D'Hoffryn to be found. Wherever he was, he was doing a very good job of hiding from them. Buffy still wasn’t exactly sure what they were supposed to do when they found him considering he had pretty powerful magic and all she had were her fists. Still they had to at least locate him to come up with a plan, and so far even that was proving to be a bust. So much so that Dawn had split off with them because in her words - they would cover more ground this way. Also apparently her sister had a plan, “I hate this,” she blew out a big fat raspberry.

Spike stopped in the hall and Buffy stopped with him, “Feels like we’re goin’ in circles pet.”

It did. Even if they weren’t. Something about the desperation to do anything, “Why’d he have to come to this anyway?”

The moment she asked it, she knew it was a stupid question. D'Hoffryn liked chaos. He liked doing things that hurt people, and if he could hurt Anya, who had against all odds managed to find happiness after everything, Buffy was sure that he would. Just seeing him would drudge up old memories. Wasn’t it D'Hoffryn who had warned Anya that something bad might happen to Riley in the first place? Wasn’t it that night where the two of them had said “I love you” for the first time? No, Anya could not see D'Hoffryn. It was a spanner in the works that they did not need right now, “He’s a demon,” Spike told her.

“Well, he’s clearly not on any of these floors and I’m tuckered out.”

Tuckered out and still a little turned on from the kiss that Spike had given her earlier. How was it possible to be this frustrated for so many different reasons? Buffy was sure Spike knew too, somehow he always knew. Damn vampire boyfriends and their perceptiveness, “Could take a break,” he gestured to the small recess in the hallway behind them.

Her face flushed a deep shade of red. They couldn’t. They had things to do and responsibilities and all that jazz, “Very much no,” she told him her heart only half in it.

“Why not?” He asked her, “Got plenty of do gooders here, we’re not alone.”

“Dawn would be,” she tried to find a word, “mad,” she finished lamely.

It was true. Dawn would be pissed. But she also wasn’t stopping him as he turned her into the little cubby, pressing her against the wall, nose against her neck, “Oh?”

“Yeah,” Buffy said maybe a little too breathlessly.

“That’s too bad.”

Then he was kissing her, hand trailing up her dress and causing it to bunch just under her hip. Fabric dragging softly over her exposed skin. This was, this was a spectacularly bad idea, Buffy’s mind provided. Anyone could just walk by. Anyone would probably walk by, knowing their history. But god she had been turned on since the first kiss and she was ready to just throw caution to the wind. Especially as he pushed her further up the wall, forcing her to wrap her hands around his neck for support. Bracing her against the wall with all of that beautiful vampire strength, “Okay,” she told him between kisses, “But just a little.”

“That’s my girl.”

If anyone else had said it, the words would have been condensing but Buffy knew that Spike loved her. Instead his possessiveness stroked something inside of her that always awoke when he spoke to her like that. Like he wanted to eat her up - like heat and desire - and god she wanted him. Now. Her hands fumbled down to his zipper and the snick of it resonated through the still, hopefully very empty halls, “And that’s my vampire,” she told him placing the flat of her hand against what she had found under his zipper, manipulating it with warm stokes.

“Yeah.”

His eyes were flecked with gold and he licked his lips and he continued to push her dress up, up, and then his hand was under the fabric and god they were really going to do this. Buffy was really going to let this happen, “It’s going to feel so good, promise. Gonna make you feel so good,” he pressed in, so she could feel him against her, impossibly large, just how she liked it.

She moved her hands up to cup his face, to trace his cheek bones. With his mouth he caught her thumb and pulled it into his mouth, pursuing it with his tongue. Never once taking his eyes off hers, “I need -”

“Jesus,” the sound of someone speaking caused both of them to whip their heads over to see just who had interrupted them, Spike’s face going all vampy to Buffy’s amusement, “Again?”

Oh. This was worse than the time in the crypt. Then they had only made it to the kissing. Here they were halfway to undress, and she could still feel Spike pressing against her, demanding entrance. Sure Angel was with Darla now and all that history was behind them but it wasn’t like she didn’t occasionally get warm soft feelings about Angel. Not love, she didn’t quantify it like that anymore, but not exactly friendship either. It didn’t change anything, and it never would between them, not when she wore Spike’s ring around her neck, but it still meant that getting caught by him felt like getting caught by an ex-lover and not a friend. Which is what he was, now.

Instead of untangling she buried her face in the side of Spike’s neck that was still available to her, “Angel!” she mumbled, because now she was turned on and embarrassed and that was the worst combination, “You’re upstairs. Here. With us. What are you doing here?”

“Hunting,” he answered cryptically.

Clearly, he too was trying to look anywhere but at them, because none of them really wanted this. To be in this position. At current. Buffy felt very trapped, “Hunting for what mate? Her Holy Human Grandness isn’t up here. I think Darla is downstairs,” Spike answered.

“Xander had a vision,” Angel continued.

Buffy continued to mumble into Spike’s shoulder, “About?”

“A female demon, that was coming here to ruin his wedding. Wearing a raincoat of all things?”

Great, just what Buffy needed, another force here to ruin Anya’s wedding, “I’ll keep a lookout,” she promised.

“Good,” then Angel said, “I’ll just -”

For a moment there was no sound and then Buffy looked up and Angel was gone. She sighed into Spike’s shoulder. In her heart she wanted him to continue - but that wasn’t acceptable. Not when she had a wedding to save. Spike was looking at her, face smoothed now that he knew that Angel wasn’t the threat his senses had originally told him the vampire was, “Should we?”

But Buffy was already busy untangling herself from him and making herself presentable. Ready to face the crowd again. They could try for this later. When they were not surrounded by people like Angel. Or - oh god - if the person who had caught them had been Darla, she wasn’t sure what she would do. Darla would, she was pretty sure, make her life a living hell the rest of the event. The rest of forever. She smoothed her dress down a little more, “Yeah.”

Time to go find a raincoat demon.

\-----

There was a knock on the door and Anya did her best to look presentable. The demon - the other her? The monster, who she wasn’t sure was her, but who had presented a very good reason for her not to get married had disappeared off somewhere and now she had to do her best to look good for whoever came through the door. No matter who it was, “Come in! No demons in here, other than the ex-ones.”

The door cracked open and then Anya’s eyes widened as Cordelia walked in. Honestly Anya had not expected Cordelia to make it. While the two of them were not close-close they were still good friends, for two people who had dated, and lost, the same man. Something about that been a bonding experience so Anya had decided that she would invite Cordelia to the wedding. But two weeks ago, both she and Wesley had been called to Mexico on this dig in regards to an artifact. Anya knew this because Cordelia had texted her in a panic asking how to deal with awkward exs. It would be the first time the the two of them had done anything together since Sunnydale. Two Watchers on a Watcher mission, nothing more, “Cordelia! You’re here, and not getting gross and sweaty in Mexico!”

“I called in a favor,” she told Anya, “Andrew, Faith, and Gunn are taking care of it.”

All three of them had been invited. And Xander would be sad that Gunn hadn’t made it. But Anya knew that she would much rather have Cordelia here than any of them, and she was pretty sure both Faith and Andrew knew this. Gunn too, “I’m glad you came,” Anya said honestly.

“And you look amazing! Can’t you hardly wait?”

Sometimes Anya wondered at Cordelia’s resilience. Because here she was, once again standing at the prespecispe of tying her life to another one of Cordelia’s exs. Actually, now that Anya thought about it, she wondered if Cordelia and Xander might not be a better match. If Cordelia might be able to keep Xander alive where she couldn’t. Riley hadn’t died when he had been dating Cordelia, but he had when he had dated Anya. And it was Cordelia who had been the turning tide they had needed back in Sunnydale against The First. Maybe she was bad luck. Maybe the issue really was Anya. Normal human, Anya. Her face fell, “Are you okay?” Cordelia asked, “Your face has depression wrinkles.”

Maybe she needed to get out of here. Just for a little bit, just to get her head on straight. To decide if she really wanted to marry Xander or not. Because as she stood across from Cordelia she realized she didn’t know the answer to the most important question of all - ‘Do you Anya Jenkins?’. Plastering the phoniest smile she could manage on her face Anya said, “Me? I’m fine. In fact, I can’t wait to get out there,” maybe she had over done it.

“If you’re sure,” Cordelia said, “Because your feet look cold.”

Anya stared down at her fancy wedding shoes, “My feet are very warm.”

She didn’t know what Cordelia was talking about and her comment just made Cordelia laugh, “Okay. Just take your time. The wedding can start when you’re ready.”

She gave Anya’s shoulder a squeeze and then left the room. As she did Anya weighed her choices. There wasn’t much in the way of getting her out of this room, but she had to try. She was Anya, if she couldn’t sneak out of her own wedding then what was the point of her?

\-----

Cordelia paced in front of Anya’s bridal room as Tara and Willow whispered together just a little bit out of eye frame. She could hear the sound of music and the quieting of guests as they finally got settled. She turned to watch as Xander stood at the front of the marching procession and she winked at him and he winked back. She was happy for him. She really was. Especially after she and Wesley had - no - she had promised herself that she wasn’t going to think about that currently. It had been - a mistake? A lapse of judgement in the Mexican heat? She didn’t know.

One second they had been arguing about the translation of just what it was the circlet they had found did, and the next second clothes had been off and they had tumbled into bed like depraved stupid people. Kissing depraved, stupid people. Although if she could say one thing for Wesley, it was that he had grown a lot in the making out department. And the everything else department - and god she had said she wasn’t going to focus on this! It didn’t do any good to think about because it wasn’t going to happen again, they knew they didn’t work, so why - god she was so single minded sometimes. Her thought process was cut short by the arrival of Buffy who looked not as put together as she had expected, “Buffy, why do you look like you were just ravished in a closet?”

Buffy had the good sense to look sheepish, “Do I really look like that? Actually no focus, I’m going to go in and get Anya alright?”

Buffy opened the door and slipped inside. As she did, Willow looked up from her whisper session with Tara, “Do you think she and Spike got up to some hanky panky?”

“Really?”

Cordelia knew that Buffy and Spike had a bad habit of getting caught, and treating every known area to man as an okay place to get down and dirty when their needs arose. This was something Cordelia did not quite get, but seemed to serve them well enough. Her friend was just a little bit kinky. Maybe more than a little. However the idea that they would do it here at Anya’s wedding of all places seemed, “Her dress was all wrinkled up,” Willow said.

And well, Willow was right, “Who do you think caught them?”

Willow was about to answer Cordelia’s question when Buffy stepped back into the hall, her face twisted into something that Cordelia only could describe as, not good. She took a breath and then said, “Well, Anya is gone. Who wants to tell Xander?”

Cordelia turned to stare at her friend and felt creeping dread. She knew something had been wrong a few minutes ago. Anya had seemed - unusually unusual for herself. Like Cordelia had walked in just after she had gone through the wringer. And she had sworn she had seen tear tracks. But she had brushed it aside because she had been too caught up in thinking about Wesley and how he made her feel, and her stupid boy issues, “Oh no,” Tara said, “That’s not good.”

And wasn’t that the understatement of the century.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! Anya ran-away who would have guessed? Also Darla being insufferable but also amazing is my favorite. Rona for sure just has the tiniest bit of a crush on her now. Finally yes I know Angel has caught Buffy and Spike before, but listen it's still very funny and I will go down with that ship. Also each time he catches them it gets progressively worse. Amazing!
> 
> Thank you for reading.


	3. Three/Finale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dawn uses her Key Powers, Buffy finds the missing Anya and they talk, Demons are fought, and a wedding reaches its conclusion.

Angel found Buffy and her friends in a suspicious circle. Bunched up like a flock of sheep. Huddled together for warmth. From the way they kept looking at each other he was able to quickly deduce that something was not right. Blood was in the water. And he wanted to know what. Doing his best to avoid Buffy’s line of sight he said, “Okay, something has happened here. What’s going on?”

“Anya’s missing,” Buffy told him, not avoiding eye contact with him like the brave thing she was, “No idea where she’s gone.”

That wasn’t - that wasn’t good. They needed a plan. Thankfully, Cordelia seemed to be on top of it as she let out a huge sigh and launched into a quickly thrown together plan. You could always count on Watchers to know what needed to be done, “Willow and Tara are going to distract. You’ve got magic, so wow the crowd,” she turned to Angel, “You are going to tell Xander the truth. I don’t think there is any way to hide it from him,” finally she turned to look at Buffy, “And you are going to find Anya.”

“And say what?”

“You’ll think of something,” Cordelia told her, “You’re good at that. Plus no one knows more about losing and finding love than you. Something got to her.”

“Something like a raincoated woman?”

Everyone turned to look at him and then Cordelia said, “I did see someone like that hanging around the door when I arrived but I figured it was a weird guest.”

Damn. He hadn’t done enough and the one thing Xander had been afraid of happening had happened. There was still time to fix his vision of course, it wasn’t like Anya had turned him down yet. But Angel had failed him. Had failed to stop part of his vision from coming true and now the probability of it happening had increased. Well, not if Angel had any say in it. He was a hero and he was going to make sure this thing happened no matter what it took. Xander deserved happiness damn it, “Go team,” Willow gave a little fist pump.

Buffy smiled, “Almost like the old days right?”

She was right. It did almost feel like the old days. What with all of them standing here in a circle talking about things. Finally he got up the courage to look up at Buffy, and she smiled at him and let out a giggle. Okay. They could do this. Go team indeed.

\-----

Xander fiddled with his bow-tie. He knew the wedding was supposed to start a few minutes ago, but so far no Anya. He swallowed and tried not to panic. Because this was starting to feel very much like his vision. With the flashes of the female person who might be a demon, and then him standing here while Anya was nowhere to be found. Then would come the tears and the heartbreak and the - he turned to see Angel gesturing to him across the room. He raised an eyebrow and then looked at both Darla and Connor who looked back at Angel. Both of them shrugged and so Xander cleared his throat, “Sorry!” He told the guests, “We might have a little delay,” he hoped that whatever it was had nothing to do with Anya, “I’ll be right back.”

He walked to the back of the room and then Angel led him away from the guests, “So -”

But Xander already knew. From the way that Angel’s stupid body shifted and he was trying to look at Xander without really looking at him. He knew his friend far too well, “I was afraid of this,” Xander to him, “My visions always come at least partially true. And don’t say they don’t.”

“We’re going to figure out what got to her,” Angel said, “And then you’re going to get married. I promise. Until then, want to hunt down the demon that did this with me?”

“I thought you’d never ask.”

Xander sure hoped that what Angel had told him came true. Because his heart really couldn’t take much more of this. So much of it depended on what Anya said when she got back he supposed. Because if he was honest with himself, it was going to have to be a really, really good apology.

\-----

Tara and Willow walked down the aisle as people around them started to grumble. This wasn’t good. She was wracking her brain with just what she and Willow could do when they reached the front of the room and Willow tapped on the microphone and cleared her throat, “So,” she smiled, “Before the wedding starts we’ve been asked to put on a little show for you.”

Tara nodded but felt deeply put on the spot, “We are going to make,” she struggled to find something to say, “A wedding bouquet appear!”

That seemed topical right? She glanced at Willow who gave her the thumbs up. At the same time she felt the magic threaded between them snap into being and let out a little sigh. Well, at least that seemed like it was going to work out.

\-----

Rona stared at Dawn as she heard all sorts of commotion going on outside. The two of them should have been at the wedding. However Dawn had dragged her into this room almost forty minutes ago to protect her as she meditated for - Rona wasn’t exactly sure - only that Dawn was sitting, and the whole room crackled with so much magic energy that even Rona could feel it, “What are you trying to do again babe?”

“I’m using my barrier like a sifter. Pushing it out in small increments until it finds things it doesn’t like,” Dawn made a face, “Two things it doesn’t like.”

“Two things?”

She knew about D'Hoffryn because Dawn wouldn’t shut up about him, but the second one was new. Dawn looked up at her girlfriend, “Two things,” and then she smiled, “And I know exactly where they are. Kinda tickles.”

That was great and all but, “Demons now,” Rona told Dawn, “I can tickle you later.”

Dawn nodded, “That sounds sexy, is that sexy?” Then she paused, “Sorry right, sounds good.”

Her girlfriend was really cool, Rona thought. She would have to tell her that after this. Because if anything, she deserved a kiss for her forward thinking. Maybe more than a kiss. Rona held open the door for Dawn who slipped out and she followed. Definitely more than a kiss.

\-----

Anya looked up from the bench she was sitting on as Buffy sat down next to her. Honestly she hadn’t actually tried to get very far. Had walked about a block and then given up. So she wasn’t surprised that Buffy had been able to find her. She did her best to wipe her tears away but knew that it didn’t matter anymore. Buffy was probably here to berate her for running away. To yell at poor dumb Anya who was afraid of getting married. Who was stunted and had run away at the first glance that she might be happy. Instead Buffy said, “I ran away once. When Angel died.”

That wasn’t the opener that Anya had been expecting, “That’s not exactly helpful. But thank you.”

Because she really didn’t want to talk about Buffy or her Angel issues which all of Buffy’s friends swore she was over, and which even Buffy swore she was over. This was supposed to be her day, “I decided I was over it,” Buffy continued, clearly not listening to what Anya had asked, “Over love, over getting hurt. Over trying. It was stupid at the time, because I didn’t realize you couldn’t protect yourself from that. Not really,” she was fiddling with the ring Spike had gotten her while she talked Anya noted.

However, Anya had done a pretty good job of avoiding the hurt up to this point. A hurt avoiding goddess, “Well, watch me try.”

Buffy just smiled at her, which was way, way too creepy for Anya’s liking. Then she started speaking again, and all Anya could do was - listen.

\-----

Dawn stepped into the room next to a man in a cloak that a few minutes ago - had looked to her - like any other person here. Now that she had filtered out whatever wards he had put up, she could see him clearly for what he was. And he was enjoying the chaos that had started to build up as Anya seemed to have disappeared into thin air. Dawn on the other hand was not enjoying it. She looked up at him and did her best to school her face into a mask that seemed to say ‘I have no idea who you are’. D'hoffryn seemed to buy it, “So how do you know the groom?” She started, “I assume that’s who your here for.”

“He and I go way back,” D'hoffryn told her, “Good friends.”

As nonchalantly as possible Dawn slipped her arm around his, “Oh yeah? Tell me about it.”

For the first time since she had stepped into her sphere D'hoffryn glanced down at her smiling face. And then further down to the arm that was not tucked into his. He sniffed and Dawn knew he could smell the small bead of blood upon her fingers. He tugged his arm in an attempt to free himself from her, “Let me go or you’ll regret it,” he warned her.

Before he could retch himself free Dawn brought her bloody fingertips up so he could see, “Let’s go for a ride.”

She snapped.

\-----

Tara was pretty sure they were losing the crowd. The flower thing had gone off like gangbusters but the very hard, but very simple seeming task of pulling a rabbit from a hat had not done as well. In the crowd one of Xander’s very rowdy family members yelled, “Do something sexy or get off the stage!”

What a wonderful person some of Xander’s family members were Tara thought. When they got married - when it became legal and it would - Tara refused to believe otherwise, they were going to have a quiet affair. Friends only. No family. She shared a look with Willow, “I will now, turn my girlfriend’s dress into something - something red.”

Willow didn’t seem to like that idea by the way her magic shied away from casting the spell but Tara gave her a look that seemed to say - just go with it. Please. In the space between them she felt Willow’s magic yield and she let out a breath. Really, their wedding was going to be so much nicer. So much more simple.

\-----

Rona crept down the aisle to where both Darla and Connor were sitting glancing up at the stage where Tara and Willow were working their magic to turn Willow’s dress a very intense shade of red. A little inappropriate maybe, but anything to stall for time, “Do either of you know where Xander and Angel went off to?”

“To find the demon that gave Anya cold feet,” Darla told her.

That wasn’t very helpful. What Dawn had told her, had basically boiled down to her knowing that the demon was close to Angel and Xander but not where Angel and Xander were. She had said this as if Rona knew how to find both of them like some sort of vampire slayer. Which she supposed she was. After that Dawn had taken off rather quickly to where she knew D'hoffryn was, leaving Rona to fend for herself, “Thank you,” she told both of them, “Very helpful.”

“You’re welcome,” Darla said before going back to watching the spectacle that was Tara and Willows show.

Creeping back up the alley she had just a second to process as Dawn snapped D'hoffryn away from the crowd and both Anya and Buffy came running up the stairs. They stopped at the top and Anya stared at where D'hoffryn had been, “Was that -”

“Um -”

Rona didn’t know what to say about that, “We’re ready for the wedding,” Buffy told her.

That was good but it was also not good. Very not good at all because, “That would be great if Xander and Angel hadn’t gone after the demon that messed with Anya’s head. So now the groom is missing too.”

“And Dawn?”

She was really getting tired of all the secrets. She had hated it back in Sunnydale and she hated it here. In London there had been less of them, but secrets were making this whole thing fall apart. Rona was done with it, “She’s dealing with D'hoffryn.”

“I knew it!”

Anya crowed and Rona rolled her eyes, “Okay, you find my sister and D'hoffryn. I’ll find Xander. Anya you are coming with me,” Buffy told their group, drifting into commander mode for a moment.

“You know D'hoffryn makes me sad but I wouldn’t have kicked him out of the wedding right? He’s a giant ass but I don’t hate him.”

This was probably true but it was way too late for that Rona though. Dawn sometimes got things into her head and once she decided to do them that was it. Sometimes they were good, like kissing her before she fought The First, but other times they were not so good. Like experimenting with her powers without a seatbelt. So they might as well add a very powerful eldritch demon to their list of monsters pissed off at them. It wasn’t like he hadn’t gotten upset at them for other things, and despite being - from what Rona had heard, kind of mean, he also was maybe oddly forgiving. As long as the balance was kept.

But none of that was here or there. She had her very cute but oftentimes reckless girlfriend to find. There wasn’t much time for sitting around, “We don’t really have time to talk about that right now, let’s kick some butt.”

With a nod Buffy and Anya headed one way while they Rona headed off in a different direction. Now what could she do about finding back up?

\---

Willow let out a little grunt. Her current wardrobe was a slinky red dress that reminded her of Sexy Vampire Willow, and now a pair of red heels. This wedding had gotten out of control. When she and Tara got married, and they would, Willow had decided somewhere between the rabbit and the dress, she would tell Tara that it would be simple. Willow had always dreamed of a fancy wedding as a kid, of the big white dress, and all the trappings but this whole thing was just turning her off the idea all together, “Let’s see some fire!”

One of the guests called out and Willow put her hand out in front of her, “Ignis!”

A ball of fire appeared in her hand and she floated it up so that everyone could see before making it explode into a cloud of red flower petals. There were ooohs and ahhhhs from the crowd and one man even stood up clapping, “I don’t know what you’ve done or how you’ve done it, but this is the best magic show I’ve ever seen!”

Oh yeah. A simple wedding was best. Willow wasn’t just some common magician to be paraded around. She was a powerful freaking witch. And she was going to have a wedding that celebrated that, dang it.

\-----

Xander stood in the muggy pool room. This was - the last room they had to check. If she wasn’t in here, then they would never find her. But it seemed - empty. Seemed, was the operative word. As he continued to turn a shape stood getting up from the plastic white pool chair they had been seated upon. She stared at them from across the floor, stripping her coat off to reveal something better for fighting in underneath. Bingo, “You!” Xander shouted, “You told my wife to be something in the bridal room, what was it?”

The woman’s brow furrowed, as if she hadn’t been expecting him to say that. To know. Visions kicked butt sometimes,, “How did you know about that?”

Xander tapped his noggin as Angel started circling the pool to where the woman was standing, “I get visions. Means I see a lot of things I don’t always want to see.”

“She always liked them magical,” the woman growled.

Now it was time for Xander’s brow to furrow, “What does that mean?”

This was starting to sound vindictive. Like whatever this demon was doing was more than just because some demons thought sowing discord was fun, “It means that Anya has a type.”

Had he - had he walked into an old lovers feud? Because it was sounding more and more like he had walked into some old history Anya hadn’t told him about. Not that he expected her too of course, that was too many years to cover, but now he sort of was a little pissy. His wedding day - ruined because some dumb demon wanted a little revenge, “Did you two date?”

The woman rolled her eyes, “No,” okay he was still confused then, “But she did break up my relationship.”

Not dating then. Whoever this person had been with - had left them - for Anya. And they had hardboard that for - too long. People could be so petty and ridiculous. It was too much drama for him. Leave Xander out of the drama, thank you. The good news - was that Angel had reached his destination, “Great,” the vampire said hitting out and striking the woman, “But you’ve overstayed your welcome.”

There was a growl and then her face shifted as she looked up at them, ridged and horns. Now the real fight began, Xander supposed.

\-----

The magic crackled between them. Which was funny, they both thought, considering what they were using the magic for seemed mundane. Common. But it was helping save the wedding. That was all that mattered right now. They both began talking, “And for our final act…” a dramatic pause for effect, “We will create beautiful white doves.”

They began to chant, whispers under their breath as magic flowed from their fingertips into the air where it started to take form. It was only a simple shifting spell, it was too hard to create life from nothing sometimes, but that was the only magic they needed. There was a burst of color and a gasp from the crowd as two doves appeared where their magic had lingered.

They opened their eyes. The doves flew about the room, and as they did silver sparkling magic covered the guests. One of Xander’s family members stood up clapping, then another, and another, until almost the whole room was standing. One of them cried, “This was better than the actual wedding!”

“Encore! Encore!”

Both women looked at each other and stepped forward to take a bow, “We were pretty cool,” Willow said.

“Very cool,” Tara told her.

“Do you want to get married?”

“I thought you’d never ask,” Tara admitted with a smile that lit up the whole room.

Fate decided, they finished bowing. Now they could only hope that Buffy was able to save the day. Because what sort of omen would it be to get engaged at a doomed wedding?

\-----

The demon struck out at him and Angel let her. Honestly he had a lot of pent up energy to spare. Too much of today hadn’t gone to plan. He had expected to come here, have a good time at the wedding, see how happy Xander was, maybe kiss Darla once or twice. Dance with the woman that he loved. But instead he was dealing with this demon, and the fleeting second memory of catching both Spike and Buffy at it. Again. It wasn’t like he wanted to get back together with Buffy, but sometimes he wished the two of them had just a little decorum. He heard whispers of the two of them, of how they tended to sometimes forget that others were around when they got into their heads that now was the perfect time to copulate. And once again, he had walked right into it. And now, instead of happy, he was pissed. Both for Xander, and for his own eyes, and it was this demons fault, She went flying into one of the chairs when he hit her and she grinned up at him, “Fighting? At a wedding? That surely won’t go over well with the happy couple.”

She leapt at him, quick for a demon and responded in kind, sending him crashing back into a wall. As she did, Angel heard Xander call out, “He can kick your ass all he wants!”

She walked over to Angel who was attempting to stand from the one kick, and apparently she was stronger than she appeared. She hoisted him above her and threw him into some chairs, “That is if he can even hit me, seems I knocked his head good.”

He was slowly getting his bearings back but not quick enough, “You talk too much.”

She backhanded him but he caught it. The two of them exchanged a few more punches that ended with her holding him up against a wall, “This is all rather sad for you isn’t it. It’s a good thing I don’t care about that.”

Angel glared at her, “You should duck.”

She raised an eyebrow, “What?”

The swing of a plastic chair sent her skidding across the pool and Xander tossed the offending item away. God it was good to have friends, Angel thought, “I believe he told you to duck. Not that you would listen, what with you ruining my wedding.”

The demon reached into the folds of her outfit and pulled out a dagger, “I can ruin a lot more than that.”

She flung it and Angel only had a second to decide what to do, putting his body in front of Xander’s taking the brunt of the dagger. As he stumbled backwards he smacked into Xander and the two of them, with very little preamble, went crashing into the pool.

\-----

Dawn and D'hoffryn tumbled into the empty ballroom and if D'hoffryn didn’t look pissed before, he looked pissed now. Two fireballs appeared in his hands and he shot them forward at her with what looked like a great deal of hatred. Quickly Dawn answered by pulling up her shields, blocking both attacks, and then flipping her shields out around the room to stop him from getting out. It wasn’t great because it meant that she couldn’t protect herself from the fireballs anymore but it also meant that he was trapped in here with her. There was a pause in the fight as he tried to escape, exactly like Dawn had assumed. He stared at her angrily, “What did you do? I can’t -”

“Leave?”

Dawn filled in for him helpfully before two more fireballs shot out her way. She really, really hoped that Rona was having a better time finding Xander and Angel to let them know who the other demon was, “You know I wasn’t even here to cause chaos, just observe it and then you had to stick your nose where it didn’t belong.”

From behind her table of safety Dawn yelled, “Your mere presence causes chaos!”

“I know, isn’t it wonderful?”

Two more blasts of fire hit the table and Dawn knew it wouldn’t hold much longer. At the same time she felt something shimmer outside her shields. It felt familiar. Like Buffy but less so. A grin split her features and she dropped her shields to let the person through. There was a shout, then, “Stop fire blasting my girlfriend!”

Dawn dared peak out over the table and quirked an eyebrow. This was not who she had been expecting to save her. It was Rona, closely followed by Spike, and Cordelia, “Rona! If you’re here where is my sister?”

“With Xander,” Rona told her, “So now I can punch this guy’s face in for trying to hurt you.”

“Hey! I did okay by myself!”

But her comment went ignored as Spike punched D'hoffryn, was picked up by some sort of magic spell, and flung across the room. Well, she could stay here behind her little table shield for now. She wasn’t in the mood to fight someone who could fling Spike across the room. She only could hope then, that Buffy was able to right this ship. Dawn had her own thing to work through.

\-----

A splash of water and Xander’s surprised face as he went in greeted Anya as she and Buffy entered the pool area. Xander sputtered as he tread to stay afloat, water clinging to his face and making him very sexy as he stared at her, holding Angel’s body. The vampire seemed - not knocked out - but at in pain. He stared at her, “Anya!”

“Xander!”

“He’s very heavy!”

Behind her Buffy flew into action as Anya already started stripping out of her dress pulling off her necklace and earrings until she had stripped down to the slip dress that was under everything. Then, with a glance backwards at Buffy she leapt into the pool, glad at that very moment that it wasn’t a freezing river. In fact, the water felt nice, almost refreshing. She swam to where Xander was holding Angel and together the two of them were able to swim him over to the shallow end of the pool, “Didn’t need your help,” Angel told both of them glaring.

“Sure you didn’t buddy,” Xander gave him a pat and then started to laugh, and boy did he have a beautiful laugh.

Suddenly everything that had happened today seemed - trivial. Fear had always been something that had driven her, that had made Anya tick. She knew this as well as she knew that red and yellow made a good painting that reminded her of Hallie, and that coffee was best served to her in bed with a side of good morning how are you kissing. There was a crash as Buffy went smacking into the tile of the pool room walls and just how strong was this stupid demon anyway? She stood on stubborn legs glaring at the woman, “To be honest, wasn’t expecting you to hit this hard.”

Anya did a little cheer in her head that was quickly cut off. In front of them Angel let out a grunt as he pulled the dagger out of his shoulder, “Buffy,” he growled, “Catch.”

Buffy caught the dagger and, after ducking under a few punches and a few attempted kicks, found an opening, plunging the dagger into the demon a few times until she slumped onto the ground with the slayer victorious. Anya watched Buffy walk over to them a question clearly already bubbling away inside of her. She crossed her arms, “So, do we have a wedding or not?”

“I’d also like to know the answer to this question,” Angel told them.

Xander looked at her with his deep brown eyes and Anya knew that she had already figured out the answer to that question. Because she had loved, and lost, and lost, and for once in her life she didn’t want to lose. Anya, more than anything, liked to see herself as a winner. A survivor. And, because people could sometimes be very dumb, the smartest person in the room. Always. But she hadn’t been smart here, she had let some big dumb demon get the better of her. And Xander deserved better than that, “I shouldn’t have run away,” she started, “Again. If we don’t count Sunnydale which I really hope we don’t.”

“We don’t,” Xander told her but then sighed, “Kind of left me high and dry.”

“I know.”

She wouldn’t say sorry. Even if she knew that might be what he wanted to hear, “But I’m ready now,” she smiled, “Let’s get married.”

“I -”

Anya didn’t let him finish because she had things to say dang it and he was going to listen, “I thought, what if we got married and I lost you? What if you died saving me? I couldn’t stand that. You living is more important than some silly wedding.”

“That’s what the demon showed you,” Xander said.

He was very good at catching on. And Anya nodded, “You died in my arms,” she confessed, “I hated it”

“You know she was just some pissed off demon from your past. You may have stolen her boyfriend.”

That didn’t sound like something she would have done. Anya didn’t like slighting women. Big dumb demon must have lied to her about being single then. Men. If she had been a demon she absolutely would have given that woman her deserved vengeance. But she wasn’t anymore. And that was part of the point. The past was the past, and Xander, her very attractive half-demon of finance, was her future, “Well I know that now that you’ve told me.”

“But we’re still getting married?”

Anya nodded, “It might come true you know. You dying. But I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

She couldn’t be afraid. Anya had to face the day. Like a big girl, standing tall and strong. Just like Riley had taught her. It was time for her to move on, for real this time. No half measures. She was full measures Anya, “I love you too Anh,” he told her, “More than anything.”

He took her hand and then leaned across to kiss her. His hands were still wet and clammy from the water. Anya didn’t really mind. So were hers. Then from under them, a grunt, “You’re leaning directly on my wound.”

They separated, “Sorry,” Anya gave Angel’s wound a pat, “But you’re a big vampire. You can handle it.”

He hissed, “Let’s just, get the two of you married.”

That Anya thought - sounded like the best idea she had heard all day. As Xander helped him stand Angel finally asked, “What changed your mind?”

“I’ll tell everyone later.”

For a moment she shared a smile with Buffy. Her reluctant hero. But the moment faded like a soft thing. Cotton candy in the water. Anya wasn’t exactly ready to admit that it had been Buffy. Let people think she had figured it out on her own for a little while. She didn’t want to give up all the credit quite yet.

\-----

Dance music filled the room as Anya and Xander let loose on the dance floor. Today had been - well it had been exactly what she should have expected. Next to her, Wesley stood as the two of them stared out at the jovial display of togetherness. Or what would have been a display of togetherness had Buffy and Spike not slipped out almost fifteen minutes ago. She was pretty sure that they were trying to be sneaky, but Cordelia knew that everyone had seen them. Especially Angel who had rolled his eyes as the two of them had made their escape, “So,” he asked, “When are we going to tell them?”

“About what?”

She raised an eyebrow at him daring him to say something about it, “Right,” he looked out over the crowd, “No, you’re right. Although Buffy and Spike did look like they -”

She smiled at him, “Shut up,” she grabbed him by his jacket, “Come on. No one will notice if we leave.”

Not letting go of his jacket, she tugged him away from her friends. Cordelia was very much over the craziness of today anyway. She could deal with the repercussions of her choices later. What was it she had told Buffy before the whole Spike thing had started? Sometimes it was okay if the person was very very hot? And Wesley had become, very very hot.

Across from them Dawn watched them leave and snorted. So her sister and Spike were not the only people escaping for a little nookie. Turning she stared at the demon across the table from her, “Have I said I’m really really sorry about the whole, assuming you were here for something bad thing?”

Their fight had been interrupted by Anya and Xander on the way to their rooms to get dressed and ready for take two. Anya had been, justifiably annoyed at Dawn. And now Dawn was trying her best to make up for it, “I did come hoping that something bad may happen,” he admitted and aha! Dawn knew it, “But I have known Anya long enough to be forgiving. She’s a bit of a wild one.”

“Not forgiving enough to give her powers back if she asked though right?”

Both of them turned to Rona who had been rather quiet up until that point, “No,” he told her, “And it’s not like she would ask for them back anyway.”

“How do you know?”

Dawn thought Rona had a lot of very good questions, “Because she’s happy,” he told her, “Happy being filthily human.”

The three of them looked over at Anya as Xander twisted her around the dance floor. His family let out little cries of excitement, who for their own part had calmed down a little bit now that there was an actual wedding. Just a table over from them Angel took a sip of the blood that Xander had been very kind to serve specifically for him, and let out a contented sigh, today had been, a lot. But things were thankfully, better now. Even his wound hardly stung, “They do look rather happy don’t they?” Darla said.

“Uncle Xander deserves this,” Connor told her, “I think we all deserve this. After what we were put through today.”

“Yeah, well, alls well that ends well,” Angel told them, “Now we just have to make sure it stays that way.”

At his comment his son let out a groan, but Angel knew that they all knew he was right. Especially after today. Across the table he could hear Willow and Tara whispering to each other, something that sounded like, “Should we tell them?” And then, “Not today. Maybe later,” and wondered just what the two of them were chattering about. His thoughts were interrupted as the music changed to something slower, more sensual, and Darla stood up walking over to his chair, “Take me dancing Angelus.”

She put her hand out and he took it letting her carry him to the dance floor, “Whatever my darling wishes,” god he loved her so much.

As they entered the fray they passed by Xander and Anya who had pressed close to sway to the music. Not a word was said. Instead Anya smiled up at her husband and thought - yes - this was worth the risk. Every time. Every single day. Things wouldn’t be easy, life had pulled that veil from her eyes, but as Xander was fond of telling her - they fit together - the human who became part demon, and the demon who became human. Anya let her head come to rest on Xander’s shoulder. Anya Harris at last.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All's Well that Ends Well indeed Angel.
> 
> Letting this event be what spurs Willow and Tara into deciding that getting married was worth it, was fun. Also Dawn got to be such a badass in Season 7 (and on) that I figured she could be a little embarrassed here. D'Hoffryn for power scale is somewhere between show D'Hoffryn and comics Season 10 D'Hoffryn, who was very powerful. Anya's comments about how she and Xander fit are cribbed from Xander and Anya's conversation in Storyteller :)
> 
> Finally, I do have a whole BtVS season 8 outlined just in case, so there have been a few minor nods to it through this story. 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!


End file.
